"What are friends? Some people are nice. Some people aren't. There are some I'm fairly close with... we talk."

"Look at the forces against me. They don't want me out. They're afraid I'll cause trouble if I get out."

"I didn't do this for other people; I did this for me. I fought for this right for me - does that sound selfish?"

"There's no doubt I expect to die in prison."

"Rotten travesty. Yeah. Send me to jail for contempt. Try that. Go ahead."

"This is not a trial. This is a lynching. There is no law."

"None of them want to delay. Understand that. None of them."

"Not one has shown an iota of fear of death. They want to end this agony."

"Listen, when you take my liberty away, you've taken away more-something more precious than life. I mean, what good is a life without liberty? Huh? None."

"I will go to what they call a court. Only they call it a court."

"A transfer of money should never be involved in this profound situation. Although illness is profound, too, but medicine's a business today. It's a business."

"You can cite me for contempt, Your Honor. I don't care."

"My religion centers in different areas than what's considered conventional religion."

"Among doctors in general, I think more than half support what I'm doing."

"The patient decides when it's best to go."

"I have a natural right to do whatever I want with my body... as long as it doesn't affect anybody else or any other property."

"First of all, do any of you here think it's a crime to help a suffering human end his agony? Any of you think it is? Say so right now. Well, then, what are we doing here?"

"Maybe I won't stay out of prison. Who knows?"

"Am I a criminal? The world knows I'm not a criminal. What are they trying to put me in jail for? You've lost common sense in this society because of religious fanaticism and dogma."

"We are all terminal."

"All the big powers they've silenced me. So much for free speech and choice on this fundamental human right."

"Let's hope you feel better now."

"The single worst moment of my life... was the moment I was born."

"The Supreme Court of the United States... has validated the Nazi method of execution in... concentration camps, starving them to death."

"I'm for absolute autonomy of the individual, and an adult, competent woman has absolute autonomy. It's her choice."

"What looks like enjoyment is the sneer of contempt. That's not a smile."

"I don't persuade to suicide."

"I'm not lying to myself like most people."

"The American people are sheep. They're comfortable, rich, working. It's like the Romans, they're happy with bread and their spectator sports. The Super Bowl means more to them than any right."

"Anytime you interfere with a natural process, you're playing God. God determines what happens naturally. That means when a person's ill, he shouldn't go to a doctor because he's asking for interference with God's will. But of course, patients can't think that way."

"You're basing your laws and your whole outlook on natural life on mythology. It won't work. That's why you have all these problems in the world. Name them: India, Pakistan, Ireland. Name them-all these problems. They're all religious problems."

"The American Medical Association says the humane way is to let people starve and thirst to death. If you did that to an animal, youd be put in jail immediately ... In the face of such insanity masquerading as authority, who wouldnt be strident?"

"Well, let's take what people think is a dignified death. Christ - was that a dignified death? Do you think it's dignified to hang from wood with nails through your hands and feet bleeding, hang for three or four days slowly dying, with people jabbing spears into your side, and people jeering you? Do you think that's dignified? Not by a long shot. Had Christ died in my van with people around Him who loved Him, the way it was, it would be far more dignified. In my rusty van."

"I'm afraid of sudden death. I'd like to know I'm going to die. That's why death row wouldn't be so bad, although it's not pleasant. And cancer, inoperable, wouldn't be bad. That's not pleasant either. But to drop dead suddenly, it's hard on everybody else. My family, my relatives, my friends. It's just not a good way to go. I want to know I'm going to die."